Residents in Stockton were today urged to make recycling their New Year's resolution.

Council chiefs want people to go green and say a series of recycling roadshows proved the habit was already catching.

The environmental events were held at Billingham, Stockton and Thornaby this month to enable staff from the council's new environment centre to find out what people thought of a "blue bag" waste paper recycling scheme running in the borough.

"Some 87pc of all the people questioned said they were taking part in the blue bag kerbside collection scheme, with 92pc of these being more than pleased with the level of service being provided," said recycling officer Brian Simpson.

He added that 82pc of residents also expressed an interest in recycling other materials from the kerbside, while 57pc also regularly used recycling banks.

"These figures show there is a growing enthusiasm for recycling among local residents and that it is our job to continue to provide the means to do so," he said.

Recycling sites exist across the borough for cartons, cans, bottles, paper and trees. Residents are asked not to put wrapping paper in paper banks or the blue bags.